Nottingham Forest missed the chance to go five points clear of the relegation zone following a 0-0 draw against Wolves – in what ended up being Sean Dyche’s final match in charge before his sacking.
That’s despite the hosts having 35 shots against the Premier League’s bottom-side at the City Ground.
It has been nearly 10 years since a Premier League side registered as many shots without scoring, yet Forest failed to break down the worst team in the league, who had not kept an away clean sheet in the top-flight before this game.
Forest were booed off by their fans after failing to capitalise on the teams around them dropping points in a blow to their survival hopes. They are in a precarious position ahead of tough games against Liverpool, Brighton and Manchester City.
How Dyche’s final game unfolded
Nottingham Forest’s Nikola Milenkovic appears dejected at full-time
Morgan Gibbs-White and new signing Lorenzo Lucca spurned big chances in a one-sided first half but their best opportunity fell to Morato toward the end. He failed to beat Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa from point-blank range albeit because of a fantastic save.
It was a frustrating full debut for Lucca up front. He did well to last 71 minutes before being replaced by Igor Jesus, leaving the pitch with just 11 touches after being starved of service. The little we did see of him was unconvincing.
Wolves defended admirably to claim their fourth away point of the season and could have nicked it in in stoppage-time. The impressive teenager Mateus Mane, however, hit his effort straight at Forest ‘keeper Stefan Ortega on the break.
Forest remain three points above the drop zone after failing to up the pressure on managerless Tottenham. A victory was enough to go level with Spurs and drag them further into trouble. Wolves, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom, 18 points from safety.
Nottingham Forest missed so many chances vs Wolves
What did Dyche say after Wolves draw?
Dyche, who became the third Forest boss to be sacked this season, faced questions over his future following the damaging draw, with owner Evangelos Marinakis watching from the stands.
Around three hours after that result, as the team’s winless league run stretched to three games, his departure was announced by the club at 12.30am – something the 54-year-old admitted could happen.
“The owner has been fair to me, without a shadow of a doubt,” he said. “If anyone chooses to change in football now, that’s their decision. We’ve all seen it.
“People can demand change, and then it’s always whether they change or not. I just work very hard. I care about this club. I’ve made that clear. I’m working very hard.
“If the owner wants to make a change, then that’s up to him, and that’s the way football is now, that’s just the reality of it.
“But I’m not questioning the owner here. He’s been absolutely fair with me from the beginning to the end, and I’ve been fair with him and told him the truth every step of the way.
“Owners are owners. They don’t warm you up, it just comes, if that’s the way it goes. I’m a realist. I understand the noise here has changed significantly since the last few games.
“He’s been first class for me since I’ve been here. And if he wants to make change, that is entirely up to him and if the fans want to change, that’s entirely up to them. All I do is work very, very hard at a club that I care about.”
Edwards proud of Wolves fight
Wolves boss Rob Edwards:
“Clearly, we didn’t play great, but showed loads of other fighting qualities and battling qualities that you need to show regardless of however you play. There’s no doubt they were better.
“But no one can question the lads’ commitment and effort and fighting spirit. Some of the football and the decisions we made and the quality at times that we showed, we can question. But the other side of the game, the stuff that needs to be there was.”
The numbers behind Forest’s wastefulness
- Nottingham Forest’s 35 shots without scoring was the most by a team without finding the net in a Premier League match since Manchester United had 38 in their 0-0 draw with Burnley in October 2016.
- Forest had 35 shots in this match – their most in a Premier League match since the 2022-23 campaign, while it was the most by a Sean Dyche team ever in his 351st game in charge.
- Forest had 62.9 per cent possession – it’s the 10th time in the Premier League that a side managed by Dyche has had at least 60 per cent of the ball and he hasn’t won any of those games (D4 L6).
- Wolves faced 35 shots, only facing more in one Premier League game ever – 36 against Liverpool in May 2024.
Forest’s daunting run of fixtures
- Fenerbahce (A) – Europa League knockout play-off first leg – Thursday February 19; kick-off 5.45pm
- Liverpool (H) – Premier League – Sunday February 22, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm
- Fenerbahce (H) – Europa League knockout play-off second leg – Thursday February 26; kick-off 8pm
- Brighton (A) – Premier League – Sunday March 1, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm
- Man City (A) – Premier League – Wednesday March 4; kick-off 7.30pm
- Fulham (H) – Premier League – Saturday March 14; kick-off 3pm
